Picturing the Rangelands Plants

Creating a booklet to provide pictorial identification of Rangelands plant species

Picturing the Rangelands Plants

Creating a booklet to provide pictorial identification of Rangelands plant species

Reaching Out -

LLCI010-001

The issue

A number of paddock walks have been conducted in the Rangelands areas in recent months covering various topics, including plant identification. A need was identified for some form of plant identification guide that could be distributed at events and easily carried on paddock walks.

The solution

The Local Landcare Coordinator (Rangelands) is an avid photographer and has used her skills to great effect at many events. She took photographs of the many plant species found in the Rangelands at the different stages of their lifecycle, then liaised with the Project Manager of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation to identify the various species. Her next step was to develop a photographic plant identification booklet of the local flora, which can be added to as necessary and distributed at paddock walks, field days and workshops.

The impact

The booklet has proven especially useful for farmers wishing to identify plant species on their farm, and they can then source further information from the technical resources available. It has also received a very positive response at farm walks and field days.

Learnings

It is necessary to rely on technical experts to ensure correct and accurate identification of subspecies. The feedback received to date is that there should be large, clear writing with minimal words, an A5 booklet would be the best size, thicker paper is more durable for paddock walks, and clear and colourful images are necessary for accurate identification.